The Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS) members from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Toronto Police Service (TPS), Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) and Treaty Three Police Service (T3PS) shared human trafficking statistics to show the cooperative work of the strategy and the complexity of human trafficking investigations.
“Due to the transient nature of human trafficking, one police service cannot battle human trafficking alone – we rely on our law enforcement and community partners and on the public for support,” stated Detective Inspector Jordan Whitesell, OPP IJFS Lead, in a press release.
“Together with the members of the IJFS, we will continue to fight for those who cannot, for those who live in fear, for those who do not feel like their life is their own.”
Since the IJFS was created in December 2021, the 21 police services have:
– conducted 65 investigations;
– assisted 61 victims;
– laid 72 human trafficking charges;
– laid 167 additional charges; and,
– charged 28 people.
“Ontario has a higher average annual rate of police-reported human trafficking cases due to the many urban areas across our province, including the GTA – compared to the national average,” stated Inspector Susan Gomes, TPS, in a media release.
“Increased access to major transportation and transit hubs makes mobility very convenient, along with the easy access to larger hotels and other accommodation facilities. By working together as policing partners to address human trafficking across Ontario, we are making a difference.”
IJFS officials say the victims ranged from 12 to 47 years old, while accused ranged from 18 to 44 years old.
All victims were provided services and support through the OPP IJFS Victim Specialist or local victim services.
“Traffickers exploit the lack of public awareness to perpetuate their heinous crime,” stated Staff Sergeant Guy Renaud, GSPS, in a media release.
“The public can help by being aware of what trafficking looks like and reporting it. Family and friends play a vital role in helping victims become survivors, by recognizing when something has changed in their loved ones and reaching out.”
Assistance was also provided by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
IJFS officials say human trafficking investigations are complex and often require a cross-jurisdictional approach as they may cross into other areas of Ontario.
The median length of time to complete a human trafficking case is 382 days (according to Statistics Canada, 2021), IJFS officials say.
“At the centre of the human trafficking investigations are the people who are being exploited – the victims,” stated Inspector Tricia Rupert, T3PS, in a media release.
“Often individuals who come from extremely vulnerable populations are more vulnerable to being trafficking and it is estimated that approximately 50 per cent of the trafficked women and girls in Canada are Indigenous. Immediate support is necessary for individuals leaving these exploitive situations and we continue to work with victim services for support.”
IJFS officials say if you or someone you know is being trafficked, call your local police.
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has resources available for victims and survivors of human trafficking on their website at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca.
A national hotline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010.
The 21 participating police agencies include: Anishinabek, Akwesasne, Barrie, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Niagara, OPP, Ottawa, Peel, Peterborough, Six Nations, Greater Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Treaty Three, Waterloo, Windsor and York.
IJFS officials say on March 6, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced funding in order to establish the IJFS, consisting of full-time investigators and analysts who are assigned to participating police agencies across Ontario, including municipal and First Nations, along with additional resources to the OPP.
The IJFS has increased the capacity for policing by assisting in identifying, investigating and disrupting multi-jurisdictional human trafficking organizations operating within Ontario.
Ontario Marks Human Trafficking Awareness Day
Today, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General, and Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, released the following statement on Human Trafficking Awareness Day:
“In Ontario, sex trafficking is the most reported type of human trafficking. It is a vicious crime that creates lasting emotional, physical, spiritual and mental trauma for survivors – and it poses a real and growing threat to the children and youth of our province.
We have repeatedly seen traffickers target vulnerabilities to gain trust and form a bond with their victims. They identify and fulfill a person’s needs and then use that dependence to control and exploit them. Sex trafficking victims are primarily young women and girls, and the average age of recruitment is just 13 years old.
Raising awareness is the first line of defence in preventing human trafficking, and we must also ensure strong supports for survivors. Ontario is taking action to fight this horrific crime through a five-year Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. Our $307 million investment includes a whole of government approach and leverages community partners to raise awareness, intervene earlier, protect victims, support survivors and hold offenders accountable.
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is an important opportunity for Ontarians to learn about this issue, including how trafficking happens, how to spot the warning signs, and where to get help. It is also critically important that victims and survivors know how they can safely access the supports they need to heal and rebuild their lives.
Continued collaboration with our partners is key to raising awareness and combatting human trafficking. That’s why we are working closely with ONroute and our trucking industry partners on the ground to improve our ability to stop human trafficking along Ontario’s transportation corridors. We thank community partners working across all sectors to raise awareness and end human trafficking. Together, we can prevent this crime and keep those most vulnerable safe.”
For information visit Ontario.ca/HumanTrafficking or to report a potential case and find services across the country, call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010.
